5 Ways Accents Can Change the Look of a Living Room
The living room is the epicenter of most homes. It’s where you congregate with family, entertain guests and relax after a long day of work. It’s a room where you want to feel comfortable but also show off your personal style.
Even though living rooms tend to be large spaces, often all it takes is one or two small changes to make a noticeable difference. Here are five ways accents can completely change the look of a living room.
An Accent Piece of Furniture
The living room is a place where furniture takes center stage. The style, size and arrangement of furniture can all impact the look of the living room. Changing or adding just one piece is usually enough to make a noticeable difference.
Ornate leather and wooden Henredon chairs are a perfect example of how a piece of furniture can become an accent in the living room. Henredon designs are meant to be conversation starters. The amount of detail and care that goes into the craftsmanship will definitely get noticed.
The functionality of furniture can also turn it into an instant statement piece. A flexible coffee table that can be configured in a number of ways can immediately give the room more intrigue. The goal is to find a piece of furniture that fits the style of the space while still standing out on its own.
An Accent Color
Want to change the feel of the space with a single, easy update? Then add an accent color. A pop of color here and there can compliment the other hues, add depth, bring focus to a certain feature and add to the overall visual appeal. Adding an accent color is particularly useful if the rest of the living room is covered in neutral hues.
The goal is to use the accent color for about 10% of the color palette in the living room. You can incorporate an accent color in a lot of different ways:
Accent Lighting
With the flip of a switch, you can dramatically change the look and feel of the living room. Overhead lighting will wash the entire room with illumination, but accent lights can highlight certain aspects of the room, add a bit of color or completely change the mood.
Accent lighting is commonly used to bring attention to a piece of artwork, a collection or an architectural feature. Accent lights can also serve a functional purpose, such as task lighting.
The lighting fixtures can be a stylish focal piece. They can be a bold chandelier or an understated sconce. Either way, the design elements can be a great accent.
Accent Artwork
Bare walls are just begging for artwork. A large vacant wall is instantly improved with a piece of art, any art. These days wall art comes in all forms from decals to decorative rugs to photography. Add a little accent lighting and you’re set.
Artwork doesn’t have to be reserved for the walls. There are plenty of ways to create visual interest with art. Shelves can be added to display art, or you can add a beautiful case to display artwork. A mobile can be hung from the ceiling to make sure of the vertical space. With living room art you’re really only limited by your imagination.
Architectural Accents
Architectural accents will undoubtedly impact the look of the living room. The example most people will think of first is a fireplace. The fireplace is a focal point in the living room. You can make it stand out with a unique mantle and beautiful stone surround. Some homeowners are going big with dramatic floor to ceiling fireplaces.
Art niches, crown molding, baseboards, trim – all of these architectural accents can be played up to add a bit of personality and style to the living room with very little effort. If you have an older home with an interesting architectural accent that’s no longer in new homes you can even frame it like art or make it a display that guests are sure to notice.
The living room is a place where furniture takes center stage. The style, size and arrangement of furniture can all impact the look of the living room. Changing or adding just one piece is usually enough to make a noticeable difference.
Ornate leather and wooden Henredon chairs are a perfect example of how a piece of furniture can become an accent in the living room. Henredon designs are meant to be conversation starters. The amount of detail and care that goes into the craftsmanship will definitely get noticed.
The functionality of furniture can also turn it into an instant statement piece. A flexible coffee table that can be configured in a number of ways can immediately give the room more intrigue. The goal is to find a piece of furniture that fits the style of the space while still standing out on its own.
An Accent Color
Want to change the feel of the space with a single, easy update? Then add an accent color. A pop of color here and there can compliment the other hues, add depth, bring focus to a certain feature and add to the overall visual appeal. Adding an accent color is particularly useful if the rest of the living room is covered in neutral hues.
The goal is to use the accent color for about 10% of the color palette in the living room. You can incorporate an accent color in a lot of different ways:
- · Pillows
- · Throws
- · Vases
- · Picture frames
- · Knobs and handles
- · Curtains
- · Accent wall
- · Trim
- · Backs of bookshelves
Accent Lighting
With the flip of a switch, you can dramatically change the look and feel of the living room. Overhead lighting will wash the entire room with illumination, but accent lights can highlight certain aspects of the room, add a bit of color or completely change the mood.
Accent lighting is commonly used to bring attention to a piece of artwork, a collection or an architectural feature. Accent lights can also serve a functional purpose, such as task lighting.
The lighting fixtures can be a stylish focal piece. They can be a bold chandelier or an understated sconce. Either way, the design elements can be a great accent.
Accent Artwork
Bare walls are just begging for artwork. A large vacant wall is instantly improved with a piece of art, any art. These days wall art comes in all forms from decals to decorative rugs to photography. Add a little accent lighting and you’re set.
Artwork doesn’t have to be reserved for the walls. There are plenty of ways to create visual interest with art. Shelves can be added to display art, or you can add a beautiful case to display artwork. A mobile can be hung from the ceiling to make sure of the vertical space. With living room art you’re really only limited by your imagination.
Architectural Accents
Architectural accents will undoubtedly impact the look of the living room. The example most people will think of first is a fireplace. The fireplace is a focal point in the living room. You can make it stand out with a unique mantle and beautiful stone surround. Some homeowners are going big with dramatic floor to ceiling fireplaces.
Art niches, crown molding, baseboards, trim – all of these architectural accents can be played up to add a bit of personality and style to the living room with very little effort. If you have an older home with an interesting architectural accent that’s no longer in new homes you can even frame it like art or make it a display that guests are sure to notice.
